For this Kansas minister, words from Episcopal bishop in Washington, D.C., were well-chosen

Should pastors talk about politics? Absolutely. We do it all the time. Not in the way some might assume — we don’t endorse candidates or tell people how to vote. But we do speak for those whose voices are limited. We rise up against systems that harm the marginalized. We protect those in need. You know, like Jesus did.

And that, as it turns out, gets political.

Recently, we’ve seen some troubling moves from public figures and politicians who claim to uphold Christian values while working against them. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency threatened to cut funding from organizations that support immigrants and refugees. Michael Flynn publicly called faith-based organizations that aid vulnerable people “money laundering” schemes.

Now, a resolution before the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to condemn a preacher — not for breaking the law, not for engaging in hate speech, but for daring to speak of mercy and justice. The resolution targets the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington, for her sermon at the National Prayer Service following the inaugurations of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

It claims her words were politically biased and that she failed to uphold the “full counsel of biblical teaching.” But what did she actually do?

She preached the Gospel.

She challenged those in power to use their authority for the good of all people, not just the privileged few. And for that, she is being condemned by a governing body that is supposed to uphold religious freedom.

This isn’t new. Jesus himself was condemned for challenging the powerful. When he stood up for the outcasts, healed on the Sabbath and called religious leaders to account, they labeled him dangerous. Preaching a gospel of love and justice has always been political, not because it aligns with one party or another, but because it calls for a world that values the least among us. That is a threat to those who cling to power at the expense of others.

The theologian and pastor William Sloane Coffin once said: “The separation of church and state does not mean the separation of church and politics. The church must concern itself with the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is not indifferent to the structures of human justice.”

The church cannot be silent when injustice flourishes. If preaching the Gospel brings condemnation from those in power, then we are in good company these days.

Let’s be clear: this resolution is not about protecting faith. It’s about silencing voices that challenge power. It’s about punishing pastors who, in the spirit of Jesus, dare to remind the world that God’s love and justice extend to all people — especially the vulnerable.

As for me, I stand with Bishop Budde. And I will keep preaching politics.

The Rev. Michael Vollbrecht is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.